Platen press



April 11, 1944. H, T. TORN'BERG 2,346,519

PLATEN PRESS INVENTOR.

HENNING T.' TORNBERG PLATEN PRESS Filed sept. 7. 1940 e-sneets-sheet 2 April 11, 1944.

H. T. TORNBERG PLATEN PRESS Filed Sept. 7, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

HENNING T. TORNBERG April 1l, 1944. H. T. ToRNBl-:RG 2,346,519

' Y PLATEN PRESS y Filed sept. 7; 1940 e sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR.

HENNING TTORNBERG BW W April 11, 1944. H. T. TORNBERG. 2,346,519

PLATEN PRESS Filed Sept. 7, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 l INVENoR.` HENNING I TORNBERG April 11,' 1944. H. T. 'roRNBERG 2,346,519 y PLATEN PRESS Filed sept. 7, 1940 s sheets-sheet s FTQIO LOCK oFF (i ,Q Q

LOCK ON .-'CfM-B PRESS FORWARD A:fM-l FORWARD IN VEN TOR.

HENNING 'c TORNBERG BY @www Patented Apr. 11, 1944 UNITED STATES; PATENT' oFF-lie 7' Claims.

'I'his invention. relates to platen or molding.

presses for indurating, curing, .or vulcanizing rubber or other plasticA materials under heat andf pressure.

The general purpose of 'the invention is to pro- Vide a dualpress of this type which will be simple in operation and economical toV buldand avoiding the use of complicated devices for operating the platens, molds, or other. members of the press, which devices have heretofore been found 4necessary in `this art.

The foregoing and other purposes ofthe invention are attained in the platenpress;l illustrated in the accompanying drawings andfdescribed vblelow. It is understood that the invention may. be embodied in otherA presses such as molding presses or the like adapted for dual operation.

Of the accompanying drawings:

l'ligurev 1' is a side elevation of the. improvedpress set foriopening andclosing` of two-lower cooperating platens,v the open position. of the press being indicated in chain-dottedlines.

Figure'2 is a similar View, partly brokenawaszshowing the press set'for. opening and'closingof the two cooperating upper-.platens of the. press, the upper platen of the two lower cooperating platens and the lower platen of the two upper cooperating platens being a single. orcommon intermediate platen, the operation of which is controlled by the mechanism shown.

Figure 3 is a plan view ofthe improvedpress;

Figure 4 is'a front elevation thereof.

Figure 5 is a plan View broken awayand with closure plates removed of the central yportion oi the press.

Figure 6 is a section alonglinevG--B of Fig.- ure 5.

Figure 7 vis a section on line 1-1-1 "of vFigure 4.

Figure 8 is a` section. on line 8.-8 of Figure 4,

showing a` driving gear and switchV controlled f cams.

Figure 9 is a section .on line 9"-9 of 'Figure 4, showing a driving gearand a switch controlled by cams;

Figure 10 is a wiring diagram for the `improved press.

Referring-to the drawings, the4 numeral I0 designates a suitable base or frame on whichis mounted a lower platen or mold II above'which is r supported `for movement toward and vvfromthe platen II an intermediateplaten or'moldniember I2 which comprises preferably in a single element, the upper of the twocooperating lower platen `II=and I2 and "the'lower ofvtwo upper' platensinfand` I3, the latterfbeingsecured-toa press head I4.- The platens or molds may be guided into proper registry. with each other as by dowel pins I5! on the intermediate platen member I2 cooperating .with apertures I 6in lower platen II andapertures Ilin upper platenl I3.

' The press head Id'may be hingedas at I8'l in vertical slots I 9' in hinged brackets 2U suitably mounted on base I0 so that the press may be adjusted'for platens of different size or thickness, Aor to accommodate articles of 'diffrent size, or thickness to be molded or pressedbetween the platens andalso, if desired, .to permit a degree of parallel opening and`closingmovements with relation to the work-asthe press is opened enclosed.'

The press head' IIViscarried by suitable operating mechanism for opening and closing-the press .suchA as side arms 2|, 2I,.having'vertical slots 22', 22` in their upper ends in` which are guided bearing .blocks 23, .23 in which the press head I4lis pivoted` as at 24, 24,' relative movement'of the bearing blocks 23'upwardly. in the slotsf22 being adjustably. controlled as by, setscrews 25, 25ito' determine the spacingI ofthel platens in the closed position ofthe press. The press is in open and closed positions when the press head I4 is in the chain-dotted vand full-line positions, respectively, in both Figures 1 and .2.

The central'platen or moldmember I2'is a1'- ranged 'tolbe left'associated with the lower platen II when the press is opened, .by operation of the press operating mechanism to move press head I4 carrying the upper platen I3, to permit removal of the work .from between the upper set of 'platens I2'and I3and replacement-with work to be treated` inthe 'pressbetween theupper-f platens (see chain-dotted. lines in Figure `2) and platen I2.is also. arranged` to be releasably connected to the presshead- I4'so 1as-to be carried up with thepress head and upper platen- I3 thereon, .upon opening. of the .press-,asdescribed above, to permit `-rernoval fof-finished lwork and replacement by-unnished work between the lower set ofV 'platens- II and I2 (seef chain-dotted lines' in Figure 1).

L. To the'v end" set foi-thin th'eprecedingpara'- graph, platen I2'fis"providedwith lugsIZL, I2@ which maybe'arranged alongftheffront and'backA edges. thereof and with .which are' associated fintinghooks orclamps 25, 26`which as best shown in dtail'inlFigure 7"may berem'ovably mounted on arms 26a as by means of bolts 2l and? screws 28." Arms 26a`maybepivoted'at 26b"(see Figure 1)"on brackets 129'rotatably retained on' eccentricpins 30 Iby'colln'sSI,4 eccentric pins 30 38 being in turn connected by a bar 43 to a rackt bar 4| carrying racks 42 and 43, the racks 3l, 39, 42 and 43 meshing with gears 33 (Figures 4' and '7) and the several rackbars fbeing guided and supported, with their racks in meshing rela-v tion with gears 33, by rollers 44, vM, which, as best seen in Figure 7, may be mounted to rotate about pins 45 secured in the'pr'ess head Ill and having rack retaining collars d6 thereon, col'-,

lars M on. shafts 32 cooperating with collars 46 to guide the racks between rollers M and gears 33. It will beunderstood that clamps 2E are so adjusted that they will clear the under sides of lugs I2a when the press is closed, as shown in full lines in Figures l and 2, and so that they can be freely swung from platen-lifting, posi tion (Figure 7) to free positions (Figure 2).

The hooks or clamps are keyedby arms Elia to shafts 25?'.which are rotatable in brackets 29 and which'preferably comprise single shafts 23h preferably extending through each setof clamps at the front and back of the press to pivot the clamps on the brackets 29.

The shafts 23h each has keyed thereon anfarmf 48, having a slidable and pivotal Aconnection by a pin 49 with a slotted nut 53 threaded onto ashaft 5I which extends through the upper press head I4 (see Figures l and 3) the shaft 5l and nuts' 563 at the front and back of the press 'being reversely threaded whereby rotation of shaft 5I will simultaneously actuate both sets of clamps 26 (front and rear) to and from clamping positions. Shaft 5I is suitably geared to a motor 52 arranged .in the press head I4 (see Figure 6).

As shown'best in Figures 5 and 6, the press head I4 constitutes a housing which may have removable cover plates I4@ and Mb therein above the motor 52 and abovea motor control limit switch arrangement comprising a control-block 53 threaded onto shaft 5I at 5d and having a suitable sliding bearing in the press'head Illat v5ta.

The control block 53 is arranged in association` with a double-acting limit switch 56 for stopping motor 52 at the limits of .travelv of the clamps between engaging and disengaging positions with lugs I2, and block 53 may have arms 53a and 53" thereon for engaging the switch respectively at said limits. Safety switches 5l and 53 are preferably also associated with the control block 53-'to be engaged respectively by arms 53 and 53d atfthe said limits so that the press motor cannot be actuated unless the clamps are fully released or fully positioned for engagement with lugs I2.

The press'operating motor is shown at 59 and operates gears, one of which is indicated at Sli in Figure 1 (see Figure 4) to drive gears 6I on a crank-shaft 62 having cranks $3, 63 thereon at the switch element Gila to stop the press in fully open and fully closed positions. A safety switch 61 may be associated with the other gear 6I (Figure 9) and a cam 33 may be arranged on said other gear Si to engage actuating-element (i'l5L of switch 67 for preventing operation of 1 'termediate position.

Referring to Figure 10, the power lines P, P

' to the improved unit may be connected up to the press motors, as shown, the press forward and -,press reverse (opening and closing control wiring as indicated being controlled by cams 65 and 6 6 as indicated ldiagrammatically at L. S. and the lock-oli and lock-on wiring as shown being controlled by cam E8, as shown at S. S. The press may be manually controlled to open and close respectively by suitable switches M1 and M2 and'the engaged and released positions of the,

M1 and M2 is shown on the front of the press- (Figure 4) at M and the controls for switches M3 and M4 are shown by these reference characters on the front of the press.

In operation of the press, the clamps 26 are engaged as shown in full lines in Figure l to hold the central platen II in association with the upper platen I3, whereby the press may be opened and closed, by starting press motor59 which operates the press operating mechanism, for `removal of finished work and replacement by unfinished worl; between platens i I and I 2, as shown in Figure 1. The clamps may then be released, as shownin full ,lines in Figure 2, and the-press again opened and closed through the press operating mechanism for removal of iinished work between platens I2' and I3 and for treating unfinished work between these platens, the released platen l2 remaining in association with lower platen il during this operation, as will be understood by reference to Figure 2.

The platens may be adjustably controlled for different thicknesses of work or the like by operating hand wheel34 to accommodate clamps 26 for the different spacing of platens Ii and I2, the upper platen I3 being self-accommodating to different thicknesses by reason of the iioating hinge pins I8 for the press-head I4.

The operations of the various mechanisms for engaging or releasing the clamps and for opening and closing the press will be understood from the description of the construction thereof in preceding paragraphs.

By vthe construction shown, expensive and complicated mechanisms to control an intermediatemold or platen member is avoided in dual presses of the type in which a plurality of molds oplatens are arranged in superposed relations 1p.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to withoutvdeparting from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dual press of the character described including lower, intermediate, and upper platen members, relatively movable press members supporting the lower and upper platen members, releasable means including relatively movable intermediate platen engaging elements on the upper platen member for connecting the intermediate platen member to the upper press member and means operable at will for relatively moving said elements to engage and disengage them, whereby the intermediate platen member may be moved to an open position with the upper press member or be permitted to rest upon the lower platen member or upon work mounted on the latter, means for relatively moving the press members to open and close the press, and means for preventing operation of the releasable connecting means to release the intermediate platen when the press is open with said intermediate platen connected in association with said upper press member.

2. A dual press of the character described including lower, intermediate, and upper platen members, relatively movable press members supporting the lower and upper platen members, releasable means including relatively movable intermediate platen engaging elements on the upper platen member for connecting the intermediate platen member to the upper press member and means operable at will for relatively moving said elements to engage and disengage them, whereby the intermediate platen member may be moved to an open position with the upper press member or be permitted to rest upon the lower platen member or upon work mounted on the latter, and means for preventing operation of said operating means to release the intermediate platen member except when the platen members are together in press-closed positions.

3. A dual press of the character described including a lower relatively fixed press member and an upper relatively movable press member, a platen on each of said members and an inter- .mediate platen, relatively movable elements carried by the upper press member and said intermediate platen adapted to be releasably engaged to connect the intermediate platen to the upper press member, and means for relatively moving said elements at will to connect or disconnect said intermediate platen to said upper press member, whereby the intermediate platen may be connected to move with the upper press member or may be allowed to rest on the lower platen or upon work mounted on the latter, said releasable interengaging means comprising lugs on the intermediate platen, shiftable hook-like clamps on the upper press member for engaging said lugs and means on the upper press member operable at will for shifting said clamps to and from positions to engage said lugs.

a. A dual press of the character described including a lower relatively fixed press member and an upper relatively movable press member, a platen on each of said members and an intermediate platen, relatively movable elements carried by the upper press member and said intern mediate platen adapted to be releasably engaged to connect the intermediate platen to the upper press member, and means for relatively moving said elements at Will to connect or disconnect said intermediate platen to said upper press member, whereby the intermediate platen may be connected to move with the upper press member or may be allowed to rest on the lower platen or upon work mounted on the latter, said releasable interengaging means comprising lugs on the in.- termediate platen, shiftable hook-like clamps on the upper press member for engaging said lugs and means on the upper press member operable at will for shifting said clamps to and from positions to engage said lugs, and means operable to adjust said clamps relative to said lugs for different thicknesses of work between the lower and intermediate platen members.

5. A dual press of the character described including a lower relatively fixed press member and an upper relatively movable press member, a platen on each of said members and an intermediate platen, relatively movable elements carried by the upper press member and said intermediate platen adapted to be releasably engaged to connect the intermediate platen to the upper press member, means for relatively moving said elements at will to connect or disconnect said intermediate platen to said upper press member, whereby the intermediate platen may be' connected to move with the upper press member or may be allowed to rest on the lower platen or upon work mounted on the latter, including means for relatively moving the press members to open and close the press, and means for preventing operation of said last-named means to release the intermediate platen when the press is open with said intermediate platen connected in association with said upper press member.

6. A dual press of the character described including a lower relatively xed press member and an upper relatively movable press member, a platen on each of said members and an intermediate platen, relatively movable elements carried by the upper press member and said intermediate platen adapted to be releasably engaged to connect the intermediate platen to the upper press member, and means for relatively moving said elements at will to connect or disconnect said intermediate platen to said upper press member, whereby the intermediate platen may be connected to move with the upper press member or may be allowed to rest on the lower platen or upon work mounted on the latter, said press including means for preventing operation of said relatively movable elements to disconnect said intermediate platen from the upper press member except when the upper and lower press members are in press-closed positions.

'7. A dual press of the character described including three platen members, relatively movable press members supporting two of the platen members with the third platen member between them, releasable means for connecting the intermediate platen member to a movable press member to move therewith, means operable at will to engage and disengage said releasable means, said releasable means when disengaged permitting the intermediate platen member to remain in association with one of the other platen members or with work mounted therein, and when engaged connecting the intermediate platen member with the other platen member to move therewith when the press is open, and means for preventing operation of said connecting means to disconnect the intermediate platen member except when the three platen members are together.

HENNING T. TORNBERG. 

